TRIBUTE TO RETIRING MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

The Leader of the House (Mr E.W. Barker): Mr Speaker, Sir, this is most likely to be the last sitting of this House before the coming general elections. Election fever has hit this town. If it is the last sitting, then I think it would be appropriate for me to take this opportunity to thank Members and wish a warm farewell to those who will not be returning to this House after the general elections.

Sir, of the 20 or more Members of Parliament who are stepping down, the longest serving Member is the Honourable the First Deputy Prime Minister. He was elected to what was then the Legislative Assembly of Singapore in May 1959 and has been returned unopposed in every subsequent general elections. Rumour has it that aspiring candidates stayed away from Kreta Ayer for fear of being beaten up by the Minister's supporters in the backlanes of Chinatown.

It was he, Sir, who was responsible for reclaiming the swamps in Jurong. Today, Jurong is a vast, thriving and humming industrial estate. He is the man behind the Singapore dollar, a dollar that has grown from strength to strength ever since he first put his signature on our currency notes. After the separation of Singapore from Malaysia, he built up our Armed Forces into what it is today, a credible and formidable deterrent to any potential invader. He has had his finger in almost every pie. Today, he is responsible for the changes in our education policy. Not satisfied, he is now decimating our pig population in order to reduce pollution and put our land to better use.

I need hardly add that he will be missed in this House. We remember his short answers, sometimes just an abrupt "No" to simple oral questions. He will be even more badly missed in Cabinet.

Some years ago, the Prime Minister told me that Dr Goh would be retiring at the end of this term and asked me to try and persuade him to stay on. I did not because I think Dr Goh has done more than enough for Singapore. He is not here in this House today but will you join me in saluting him?

Sir, at our next sitting, you will have to appoint another Deputy Speaker because the Member for Jalan Kayu has regrettably decided to call it a day. He has done admirably in your Chair whenever you were absent or needed a rest. Like you, Sir, we will miss him.

Sir, I cannot refer to all those who are stepping down but perhaps you will allow me to refer to the oldest both in age and seniority amongst the Backbenchers. He has on many occasions, when not slumbering, injected life into our debates. His frequent interruptions have sometimes annoyed you, Sir, and on one occasion the Member for Anson who, I am sure, will miss the Member for Khe Bong provided he himself is not missing from this House.

Sir, there are many others who are stepping down. I shall not go through the list. They can retire with the satisfaction of having served their constituents and Singapore. To all, I say, "Good luck and God bless."

Over the years, I have answered so many questions and queries in this House. Allow me to just ask one question and I ask this of the younger Members: "Have you not had enough of me as Leader of the House?"